Independence Day (1996) - IMDb IMDb 17 January 2017 4:34 PM, UTC NEWS There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error The aliens are coming and their goal is to invade and destroy Earth. Fighting superior technology, mankind's best weapon is the will to survive. Director: From $2.99 (SD) on Amazon Video ON DISC a list of 33 titles created 24 Feb 2013 a list of 30 titles created 06 Mar 2014 a list of 33 images created 20 Dec 2015 a list of 24 titles created 11 months ago a list of 35 titles created 5 months ago Search for " Independence Day " on Amazon.com Connect with IMDb Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Won 1 Oscar.

Another 32 wins & 34 nominations. See more awards » Videos A police officer joins a secret organization that polices and monitors extraterrestrial interactions on Earth. Director: Barry Sonnenfeld After discovering that an asteroid the size of Texas is going to impact Earth in less than a month, N.A.S.A. recruits a misfit team of deep core drillers to save the planet. Director: Michael Bay Two decades after the first Independence Day invasion, Earth is faced with a new extra-Solar threat. But will mankind's new space defenses be enough? Director: Roland Emmerich Jack Hall, paleoclimatologist, must make a daring trek across America to reach his son, trapped in the cross-hairs of a sudden international storm which plunges the planet into a new Ice Age. Director: Roland Emmerich In 2035, a technophobic cop investigates a crime that may have been perpetrated by a robot, which leads to a larger threat to humanity. Director: Alex Proyas Years after a plague kills most of humanity and transforms the rest into monsters, the sole survivor in New York City struggles valiantly to find a cure.

Director: Francis Lawrence Hancock is a superhero whose ill considered behavior regularly causes damage in the millions. He changes when one person he saves helps him improve his public image. Director: Peter Berg As Earth is invaded by alien tripod fighting machines, one family fights for survival. Director: Steven Spielberg An ancient struggle between two Cybertronian races, the heroic Autobots and the evil Decepticons, comes to Earth, with a clue to the ultimate power held by a teenager. Director: Michael Bay A frustrated writer struggles to keep his family alive when a series of global catastrophes threatens to annihilate mankind. Director: Roland Emmerich In the colorful future, a cab driver unwittingly becomes the central figure in the search for a legendary cosmic weapon to keep Evil and Mr Zorg at bay. Director: Luc Besson Humans in a fascistic, militaristic future do battle with giant alien bugs in a fight for survival. Director: Paul Verhoeven Edit Storyline On July 2nd, communications systems worldwide are sent into chaos by a strange atmospheric interference. It is soon learned by the military that a number of enormous objects are on a collision course with Earth.

At first thought to be meteors, they are later revealed to be gigantic spacecraft, piloted by a mysterious alien species. After attempts to communicate with the aliens go nowhere, David Levinson, an ex-scientist turned cable technician, discovers that the aliens are going to attack major points around the globe in less than a day. On July 3rd, the aliens all but obliterate New York, Los Angeles and Washington, as well as Paris, London, Houston and Moscow. The survivors set out in convoys towards Area 51, a strange government testing ground where it is rumored the military has a captured alien spacecraft of their own. The survivors devise a plan to fight back against the enslaving aliens, and July 4th becomes the day humanity will fight for its freedom. July 4th is their ... Written by Gustaf Molin <gumo@hem2.passagen.se> Movie review: Independence Day Resurgence Movie review: Independence Day Resurgence Written By Posted Fri, Jun 24, 2016 Rate Story Cast: Jeff Goldblum, Liam Hemsworth, Bill Pullman The word Resurgence is perhaps the most appropriate way to describe the efforts to make a franchise out of the Independence Day movie.

As the dictionary definition goes, resurgence is : a new increase of activity or interest in a particular subject or idea that had been forgotten for sometime. The new Independence Day movie is nothing but the studios and the director Roland Emmerich find a new excuse to make easy money. Their renewed interest in the original 1996 movie has spawned an embarrassing shambles of a film. Even two decades ago, the Independence Day movie was a sinful experience in escapist entertainment. It was more of an action upgrade on Mars Attacks (which oddly seemed like a corny rip-off of Independence Day), though some of its set pieces were as bizarrely over the top as the Tim Burton comic caper. But it was good fun, mainly thanks to a charming young Will Smith and his bromance pairing with Jeff Goldblum. None of that goodness in the new movie though. This alien invasion flick is as banal as the Clash Of The Titans flicks. The single mantra behind Independence Day Resurgence is to be bigger than the predecessor. So they scale the size of the alien ship and make it half as big as planet Earth.

Not just that, they even scale the size of the aliens, so the new antagonist, the Alien Queen (any creative resemblance to Ridley Scott's Alien movies is pure coincidental) is as tall as a sky scraper. When she finally reveals herself in the latter part of the movie, you can't help but draw an uncanny resemblance to the invaders from War Of The Worlds (any resemblance again is purely coincidental). There's also alien flora and fauna experience on-board the giant new ship, a lot like the Avatar and/or Prometheus movies (resemblance coincidental...) and the aliens this time are digging to the Earth's core in an effort to terraform (Man Of Steel resemblance is totally coincidental). Humans have developed their own fancy technology and weapons inspired by the aliens they defeated 20 years ago. So the fight this time is more advanced. But the humans stand no chance, because the screenplay is just rehashed from 1996, right down to borrowing the same dialogue too. Sadly, the fun part of the original movie was that they blew up so many monuments and cities, but the new movie does nothing exciting of that sort. Here the action is just down to humans and aliens exchanging green laser firefights.

New boys Jessie T Usher and Liam Hemsworth are not a patch on Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum. Even though Goldblum and Smith are both a part of the movie - Smith as giant poster in the Oval Office and Goldblum as the standard Emmerich 'solutions provider' hero. They're clearly not in top form. Even Bill Pullman, who's 4th of July speech from the original can still be quoted verbatim for kicks, looks senile and dumb in the new movie. And just like the original, there are trademark American kids in the narrative, put to good use to elevate the drama in the climax. The cinematic world has moved on to a higher calling. Chris Nolan is making films about travelling across the universe and finding a new home. But Roland Emmerich is content at portraying Earth as the centre of the universe. Just because you throttle the word "interstellar" into the climax doesn't make your film smart. And just because you're America doesn't mean the world will feel ecstatic at the idea of 4th of July and fireworks. Some part of Hollywood still lives in the George Bush era and that's just so passe.

Independence Day - Movies & TV on Google Play Independence Day Item added to wishlist. Item removed from wishlist. You will receive an email when your movie becomes available. You will not be charged until it is released. ( 5,629) Synopsis A disparate ensemble of heroes band together to defeat the alien invaders who are bent on exterminating mankind with formidable firepower. On July 2nd, communications systems worldwide are sent into chaos by a strange atmospheric interference. It is soon learned by the military that a number of enormous objects are on a collision course with Earth. At first thought to be meteors, they are later revealed to be gigantic spacecraft, piloted by a mysterious alien species. After attempts to communicate with the aliens go nowhere, David Levinson, an ex-scientist turned cable technician, discovers that the aliens are going to attack major points around the globe in less than a day. On July 3rd, the aliens all but obliterate New York, Los Angeles, and Washington. The survivors set out in convoys towards Area 51, a strange government testing ground where it is rumored the military has a captured alien spacecraft of their own.

The survivors devise a plan to fight back against the enslaving aliens, and July 4th becomes the day humanity will fight for its freedom. July 4th is their Independence Day... Also available in 1 $27.98 $24.99 Prepare for a spectacular double feature that’s out of this world! Mysterious aliens launch an all-out war against humankind in Independence Day, blasting destructive beams around the globe that ne... 1 Splendidly cheesy entertainment. Lisa Schwarzbaum It's the first futuristic disaster movie that's as cute as a button. Which, when all the special effects blow over, is what we Americans like in a monster hit. David Ansen If I were a 10-year-old boy, I'd probably think it was the coolest movie going. Todd McCarthy As unavoidably entertaining as it is hopelessly cornball. Rita Kempley Maybe the moviemakers' mission was to boldly go where everyone in Hollywood has gone before: the bank. Jonathan Rosenbaum The earnestness, the effects, and the notion of a whole world forgetting its differences to defeat a common foe carry a certain charm. Critic reviews Full Review Lisa Schwarzbaum It's the first futuristic disaster movie that's as cute as a button.

Which, when all the special effects blow over, is what we Americans like in a monster hit. Rita Kempley Maybe the moviemakers' mission was to boldly go where everyone in Hollywood has gone before: the bank. Full Review Jonathan Rosenbaum The earnestness, the effects, and the notion of a whole world forgetting its differences to defeat a common foe carry a certain charm. User reviews Deanna McV August 29, 2014 My most favorite movie of all... I always cry with the president's speech The President: Good morning. In less than an hour, aircraft from here will join others from around the world. And you will be launching the largest aerial battle in this history of mankind. Mankind -- that word should have new meaning for all of us today. We can't be consumed by our petty differences anymore. We will be united in our common interests. Perhaps its fate that today is the 4th of July, and you will once again be fighting for our freedom, not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution -- but from annihilation. We're fighting for our right to live, to exist.

And should we win the day, the 4th of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but as the day when the world declared in one voice: "We will not go quietly into the night! We will not vanish without a fight! We're going to live on! We're going to survive!" Today, we celebrate our Independence Day! Full Review Pavan Patel April 30, 2015 This movie did everything right.... and for me to watch it young new and still watch it in 2015 and love it after seeing 50 million times, (almost 20 years old)... if you youger peeps think this is a bad movie.... think of this as done in 1996 and then imagine what it would be like in todays market... Not to mention they are working on an Independence day 2. God I hope it is in IMAX Full Review Mike Peterson October 6, 2016 *Zero ★. . . Because ID rates 4.5★ and ID:R rates 2★ for end portion CG & few other good bits.

But total is Zero★ because promoter(s) &/or google play store (gps) Unwilling to Rent, because if people rent ID:R, most may not buy it. Jog-On gps & film promoters, you'll not catch me as a fool to take my money 2nd or the 1st time. *ID 4.5★ is a Grand Viewing, I've Watched Many+ Times. ID:R 2★ is Not so Grand, it has it's good moments & some good CG but is Generally Lacking Greatly. •Mic Cl;-)~ Ririe, Idaho USA• Full Review Kaley Gordon April 25, 2016 A 90's classic. If you don't love this movie you either take yourself too seriously or you are not a live, human person. Likely, you are an alien who is frustrated with the earthling-centric nature of the film and the tone deaf portrayal of extra-terrestrials. I can't help you there; space alien rights are not my forte. Anyhow, this movie is dope.

Full Review Joshua Long March 17, 2015 My Absolute Favorite Movie I've watch this movie almost every single night threw my entire college lenth... seriously... I would put this movie on and sleep like a baby... It's a great movie! The Acting was spot on, CGI was top notch... and with twists of comedy and sci-fi... it's an all around firm movie... too bad Hollywood don't make movies like these anymore... to capture the young people imagination and to ask yourself is their really life out there? This movie delivers... it don't tease you it gives you what you want!Must have. Full Review Sara Kaplan April 25, 2016 It's definitely corny and overly dramatized, but "Independence Day" is one of those action-packed classics that just draws you in, no matter how you look at it! How could you go wrong with a movie that has both Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum? The writing, acting and directing is top-notch. It's a movie that has a little bit of everything: action, laughter, and definitely some feels.

This is one of those 90's films that, if you're a "90's kid" will make you feel like one again. With priceless moments from all involved, you can't go wrong with Independence Day, ANY day of the year! Full Review Bryan Counts July 4, 2014 One of the great classics Man...that president...if that was our real president...wishful thinking. Anyway this movie is too awesome not to watch. Will smith was acting like he was supposed to...with charisma...after earth I'm looking at you...Jeff goldblum was his normal self...and that president...man he was just like FORGET THE RULES LETS FIRE MY SECRETARY OF DEFENSE BECAUSE HES A WIMP AND GIVE THE MOST AWESOME SPEECH IN MOVIE HISTORY!!!!!!

I VOTE THIS GUY AS OUR PRESIDENT INSTEAD OF OUR CURRENT WEASEL OF A "PRESIDENT" Full Review Lindsey Prawat March 15, 2015 Great movie This came out when I was younger and boy did it scare the crap out of me cause this can happen Full Review Sam Rothermel April 2, 2014 Goofy fun feature of alien annihilation Required for the silly Emmerich fans like me. Kinda set the standard for big, summer action flicks back in the day and still holds up for the most part. Full Review Austin sharp August 25, 2016 Awesome movie I might be a little biased because Will Smith is probably the best actor of all time...at least to me...but this movie brings out the best in him. He's funny, and heroic. And whoever doesn't like a funny heroic protagonist in an alien movie has got to be a seventy year old English school teacher that hasn't laughed in twenty seven years. Full Review Julie Ritt December 24, 2015 One of my all time favorites. So far as disaster flicks go, this is one of my favorites.

I watch it whenever I can, and may just buy it. Robert Gerhart January 13, 2015 Laughably bad story "OMG" level bad story. One extra star for decent special effects. Full Review Jesus Jesus January 17, 2015 Actor In Thematik Beta Quadrat Thema Sea Star Hit a Kryptographie World Witz fforty five e antes-ten änd overloaded exploded planet you were hit with sixteen you must live. Mark Edward July 9, 2014 Completely overrated. Cookie cutter plot, one-dimensional characters, and plotholes the size of a collapsing star. corey K April 26, 2016 $13? Seems like a scam for a movie this old. Otherwise great movie. Fix the price! Full Review Jonathan Nichols February 12, 2014 Great action movie Must have If you have an HDTV. The effects are amazing! Only complaint... The aliens attacked on my birthdays. Gee thanks.

Full Review Paul Brown May 12, 2016 I dunno Kinda lost me when Smith defeats an advanced interstellar warrior--wearing combat armor--with a single punch. Why didn't they just chase the aliens away with brooms? Full Review Ravi Chopra December 22, 2015 A tour de force of cheese and bad writing. I loathed it when it was in the theaters and I loathe it today. Full Review Tony Damiani April 22, 2016 Classic! Independence Day its a powerful movie. A classic of 1996. I can watch it over and over again, and never get bored. Full Review Patti-Jo Roberts June 2, 2015 Tension, humor, and good acting, combined with a victorious ending make this movie a good one. Did not appreciate all the cursing, though. Would have been great without it! Aaron Smith April 22, 2016 Great movie This one and Mars Attacks, all weekend long.

Full Review Mark Roth July 7, 2014 mark a roth this movie was one of the first alien invasion movies with good effects and story line made a big star out of will smith always on TV during independence day almost 20 years old. no take me to your leader stuff? Full Review Sonique Horne October 29, 2013 Excellent I love this movie so much I watch it alot the first time I saw it I got so scared I could feel my hart beat so hard and so fast. It made me so suspicious in almost every part of it. Full Review Josh Fauver May 9, 2015 Essentially the template for the perfect summer action movie. Violence, sex, memorable one-liners, and a sense of not taking itself too seriously... Stephanie Patterson April 25, 2016 So very awesome About aliens attacking all over the world Full Review Juan Martinez April 22, 2016 Dumbest movie EVER... I never saw this in the theater, instead bought it when it came out on VHS. What a regret! Full Review Juan Castillo December 19, 2014 Best movie ever!

The whole cast in that movie was superb but the guy who played the president was something else, the speech made me cry with emotion. SEAN MORRIS April 25, 2016 Classic I'm a big fan. I loved this movie looking forward to the sequel Full Review Damian Perez April 22, 2016 First time I purchased this movie with VCR when I was 16. 30 years later I still watch this movie with BluRay in numerous times. This movie never bores me. Full Review Michael Klein April 13, 2014 Can't say enough good things about this movie. It rates up in my classic movies of all time. Full Review Daniel Bordelon July 4, 2014 Awesome american classic My canadian girlfriend scoffed when i mentioned this movie and said its so 'american' and i thought 'well duh its freaking awesome too' Full Review Green_ Ninja7 March 29, 2016 A classic, but its flawed. It's easily Emmerichs best film and its very entertaining, but its falls short from being truly amazing.

Full Review Marku Ben Yisrael April 14, 2014 CHEESY AT TIMES BUT AN EXCELLENT MOVIE! CGI WAS FIRST RATE AND THE STORYLINE WAS COOL! I really like this movie the whole cast was great and the special effects were awesome! All the action sequences were top rate and visual delight. BRILLIANT! CLEVERLY DONE ACTION SCFI! WORTH WATCHING! kim smart May 11, 2015 Id4 test. To. Prepared for the real. Thing. Anderson Huffman April 22, 2016 Independence day Best bad movie ever. Full of cheese and feel better cliche. Awesome! Full Review Fantastic Fee December 14, 2015 I give an 82%, True classic just awesome as ever! This movie was awesome as ever, can't believe the losers of Rotten tomatoes gave this a 60%.

keina kouzuki May 3, 2014 すごいけど個人的には好きじゃない 日本で取り扱ってたら購入するけど Full Review Ty Ley April 30, 2016 Classic I really loved this movie when it came out. The graphics is garbage but at the time it came out, it was amazing. I consider Independence day a classic now. Full Review Ricardo Flores October 10, 2016 Today, We Celebrate Our Independence Day! This is obviously one of the best Emmerich film. It had a wonderful score, and even better duologue. The scene in which the president gives his speech was touching. So good it returned in Resurgence (See "ID Forever: Part 1".) The film was excellent. Something to watch this Fourth of July. Pat Bo February 21, 2015 Must own this movie Every thing in this movie was done right. Jay Maidment "Captain America: The First Avenger" The July 4 holiday allows us to indulge in all manner of Americana: from parades draped in red, white and blue to fireworks spectaculars. Add to that list watching some of the best Hollywood has to offer.

How to Watch the Fourth of July Fireworks Live So after that last firework dims in the sky, settle back, grab a hot dog and some popcorn and gather the family around the biggest screen in the house. From films set around the Revolutionary War ("Glory," "The Patriot") to modern blockbusters that owe more to the imagination than historical fact ("Captain America: The First Avenger," "Jaws"), here are 10 titles sure to bolster your patriotic mood across the holiday weekend. Fourth of July: What You Should Know "Independence Day" (1996) This blockbuster has to be high on any July 4 movie list. Completely over the top, it's the story of an alien invasion of Earth, and the last ditch attempt to save it by a disparate group of humans that takes place on, you guessed it, July 4. Starring Will Smith, Bill Pullman and Jeff Goldblum, it features a scene in which the president of the United States (Pullman) personally flies a fighter jet in the attack against the extraterrestrials.

Best quote: "This… is our Independence Day!" July 4: Macy's Fireworks All-Star Lineup Partly based on the personal letters of Col. Robert Gould Shaw, "Glory" tells the story of the first formal unit of the U.S. Army during the American Civil War to be made up entirely of African-American men. Told from the point of view of Shaw (Matthew Broderick), its white commanding officer, the movie also stars Morgan Freeman and Denzel Washington, who earned a best supporting actor Academy Award for his performance. "Yankee Doodle Dandy" (1942) A true flag-waver, this movie stars James Cagney as entertainer, playwright, composer, lyricist, actor, singer and dancer George M. Cohen, who boasted he was born on July 4, though records indicate the actual date was July 3, 1878. Considered by many the father of Broadway, the film chronicles Cohen's life and features all-singing, all-dancing musical numbers that would have made the subject proud.

"The Patriot" (2000) If you can ignore the historical inaccuracies, this engrossing American Revolution-set film stars Mel Gibson in one of his most critically-respected roles as a peaceful farmer driven to lead the colonial militia after the murder of his son (Heath Ledger) by a British officer. "Jaws" (1975) It's man versus nature in this classic horror/thriller from director Steven Spielberg. 40 years on it still serves up the chills and is a benchmark for summer blockbusters. The threat: A giant great white shark terrorizes holidaymakers off the coast of Cape Cod through the July 4 holiday. The protagonists: A sheriff afraid of water (Roy Scheider), a marine biologist (Richard Dreyfuss) and a salty, no-nonsense fisherman (Robert Shaw). Awesome quote: "You're gonna need a bigger boat." "Born on the Fourth of July" (1989) A controversial film when it was first released its message reminds us that as we celebrate, our freedom and ideals are something we must continually fight for – as much at home as on foreign soil.

Directed by Oliver Stone, the biopic stars Tom Cruise as wheelchair-bound Vietnam veteran Ron Kovic, who becomes an anti-war and pro-human rights political activist. The role earned Cruise his first Academy Award nomination and was awarded Oscars for directing (Stone) and film editing. "Apollo 13" (1995) Directed by Ron Howard, this biopic tells the story of NASA mission Apollo 13 – America's third attempt to land a man on the moon. An on-board explosion while en route begins to deplete the craft of its oxygen and power, and what had been a mission for the moon becomes a mission to get the astronauts on board (Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon and Gary Sinise) home safely. The film speaks to the American spirit of discovery, as well as our never-leave-a-person-behind creed. "Top Gun" (1986) Fighter pilots Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer peacock for instructor Kelly McGillis in this Tony Scott-directed action-adventure romp about fighter pilots attending the Navy's elite training school in San Diego.

Throw in Russian MiGs and a soundtrack loaded with 1980s anthems including "Danger Zone" (Kenny Loggins) and "Take My Breath Away" (Berlin) and you've got a perfect post-fireworks movie. THE quote: "I feel the need, the need for speed!" "Forrest Gump" (1994) An epic American romance covering several decades in the life of the titular character (played by Tom Hanks), who despite his naivete manages to be present for, and occasionally influence, some of the country's defining moments in the latter half of the 20th century. In 2011 the Library of Congress selected the movie for preservation in the National Film Registry, describing it as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." Most quoted line: "My mama always said, 'Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.'" "Captain America: The First Avenger" (2011) Actor Chris Evans plays Steve Rogers in this action/adventure film based on the Marvel comic book character Captain America.

Set during World War II, small, sickly Rogers is transformed into Captain America when he is enlisted to take part in the super-soldier experiment. The now-robust Rogers must stop the Red Skull, Hitler's henchman and leader of an organization that intends to use an artifact called the "Tesseract" to power their quest for world domination. Published at 2:59 PM EDT on Jul 2, 2015 | Updated at 5:23 PM EDT on Jul 3, 2015 16 Independence Day Blockbusters You’ll Want to Watch All Over Again | WIRED 16 Independence Day Blockbusters You’ll Want to Watch All Over Again Source: Twentieth Century Fox Fourth of July weekend. It’s a time for barbecues, fireworks, road trips, and generally celebrating America. (Or, y’know, ‘MURICA.) But for those of us who have always been somewhat movie-obsessed, it’s a long weekend during which we can cram in more than a few blockbuster matinees.

Hollywood, of course, has caught on to this and turned the Independence Day weekend into an opportunity to release what the studios hope to be one of their most boffo popcorn flicks of the year. (Interestingly, that’s not really happening this year: The only hyped releases this week are the Melissa McCarthy vehicle Tammy, which is theme appropriate because it has a lesbian July 4th party, and Deliver Us From Evil.) Throughout the last four decades everything from Big Trouble in Little China to The Amazing Spider-Man has dominated the July 4th weekend and we here at WIRED have very emotional attachments to many of them. In honor of the holiday weekend we decided to take a trip down Nostalgia Way and remember how it felt to watch these summer movies back in the day. Sit down, grab a cherry Icee, and remember the good ol’ days with us. Back to the Future (1985) July 4 Weekend Gross: $11,152,500 Why It Made for an Epic Fourth of July: Fourth of July weekend was a big one for the Rubin clan—at least regarding the multiplex.

(It was also a big weekend for almost getting hit by a wayward firework that launched itself at me, then veered away from my Michael Jackson muscle tee/half-shirt combo just in the nick of time, but that’s another story.) It’s when I saw Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, and Speed—for which I was on crutches and also SUPER HIGH, though presumably my family didn’t know that at the time. But as great as those movies were, they were all just run-of-the-mill popcorn movies that were still in theaters when our annual All-Family Movie Tradition rolled around. Which is what made Back to the Future so special. Summer matinees are about escape—from your daily grind, from the searing heat outside, even from time itself. Robert Zemeckis knew that, and catered to our needs on every level possible, from the visual to the literal.

For kids, there was slapstick and a cool, relatable protagonist who gets to be a hero; for adults, there was the ultimate nostalgia trip of rewriting the past; for everyone, there were was an ’80s zeitgeist frappé of Libyan terrorists, Pepsi Free, Calvin Klein, and a revenge of the nerds that blew the actual Revenge of the Nerds out of the water. Even in its darkest moments, BTTF was relentlessly upbeat, and Huey Lewis made damn sure you knew it long after you left the theater. It wasn’t long after 1985 that action movies began to dominate the multiplex during the holiday weekend, and family comedies went on the wane. But that hadn’t happened yet: Marty and Doc might not have needed roads where they were going, but they made sure we could all come along. —Peter Rubin Big Trouble in Little China (1986) July 4 Weekend Gross: $2,723,211 Why It Made for an Epic Fourth of July: When Big Trouble came out I had just turned one year old, so I wasn’t at the theater.

But if I had known then what I know now, I would have army crawled to the nearest big screen on my tiny belly in my tiny footy pajamas and started my life the right way. The Jack Burton way. Between Burton and Snake Plissken, American Icon Kurt Russell may be one of our greatest domestically-harvested cinema badasses. And even though Plissken has that sweet eye patch and managed to escape the penal colonies of both New York and LA, it’s Burton who we’d most want by our sides on a dark and stormy night when the going gets weird. Jack might look like he’s all swagger and no smarts, but this unlikely hero is quick on his feet and knows how to surround himself with the right people to get out of tough jams—just like a certain beloved home country we know! Now, BTiLC may not be as overtly flag-waving as some other Independence Day releases, but the Pork Chop express and its cocksure captain are as red, white and blue as they come, and along with his high capable co-pilot Wang Chi, they do our apple-pie-lovin’ hearts proud.

—Jordan Crucchiola Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) July 4 Weekend Gross: $31,765,506 Why It Made for an Epic Fourth of July: It seems almost unnecessary to explain why this film is epic, but here we go. Seven years after Terminator, the classic (but low-budget) ’80s film about apocalyptic murder robots from the future, T2 was an action extravaganza of bullets, explosions and a slippery, shape-shifting superkiller. T2 turned Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Terminator from a villain to a reprogrammed hero, and turned Linda Hamilton’s Sarah Connor from a frightened waitress into a sinewy, shotgun-toting commando. While its special effects may seem prosaic now, at the time they were nothing less than astonishing. I vividly remember when my older brother and I—who had watched Die Hard more than 50 times on a worn, bootleg VHS tape—saw the T-1000 liquid morph through a helicopter windshield for the first time, we nearly lost our goddamn minds.

Quite simply one of the best sequels—and action movies—of all time, T2 was the explosive apex of the franchise from which all other entries would sharply descend. —Laura Hudson A League of Their Own (1992) July 4 Weekend Gross: $13,739,456 Why It Made for an Epic Fourth of July: It’s an unspoken truth—in both life and this list—that big summer blockbusters tend to be bro-heavy affairs. Enter: A League of Their Own. This celebration/fictionalization of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League during World War II was like Orange Is the New Black for cinema in the early ’90s (it’s even directed by a woman, Penny Marshall, which is also sadly rare among summer flicks). I don’t remember seeing it in theaters—in fact, I didn’t remember it being a July 4th release until compiling this list—but I’ve probably watched it every summer since. Everyone is at their peak here: Geena Davis, Lori Petty, Tom Hanks, Rosie O’Donnell, frigging Madonna. (This movie came two years after Dick Tracy and Evita notwithstanding was the pinnacle of Madonna’s acting career.

It also gave us her fantastic ballad “This Used to Be My Playground.”) Nearly every scene in A League of Their Own is utterly perfect, and it gave us the timeless catchphrase “there’s no crying in baseball.” —Angela Watercutter Boomerang (1992) July 4 Weekend Gross: $13,640,706 Why It Made for an Epic Fourth of July: The Eddie Murphy rom-com Boomerang might not have been epic in the way that, say, Independence Day was epic, but it will certainly be burned into my brain until the day I die. When it hit theaters in 1992 I was a kid at a summer camp, where the counselors—who undoubtedly were trying to be “cool” counselors—took all the campers to the movies and bought us tickets to R-rated movies. We had two choices: Universal Soldier, a story about genetically-enhanced soldiers beating each other to death, or Boomerang, a story about Eddie Murphy having explicit sex with lots and lots of women.

Anxious at the idea of gory, traumatizing deaths that would haunt me forever, I did something the MPAA would never agree with : I decided sex wasn’t as bad as violence, and chose Boomerang. It was … a confusing two hours for 11-year-old me. First, I saw Eddie Murphy have graphic, bewildering sex with a 65-year-old Eartha Kitt, then Robin Givens, then Halle Berry, then Robin Givens again, then Halle Berry again—scenes I can still recall in uncomfortable, gyrating detail. All in all, it was a pretty good Fourth of July for Eddie Murphy and a pretty weird one for me. Your mileage may vary. —Laura Hudson Apollo 13 (1995) July 4 Weekend Gross: $25,353,380 Why It Made for an Epic Fourth of July: The Space Race couldn’t have been better tailored to July 4 blockbusters if they’d planned for it. It’s patriotic as hell—all about American exceptionalism without (usually) the taint of American jingoism—aspirational and triumphant, visually spectacular, and chock full of slow-motion hero-walk moments.

Apollo 13 brings all of that and a relatable underdog in Commander Jim Lovell, played by Tom Hanks. It’s dramatic, triumphant, really well made, and, aside from a few necessary concessions to schedule and format (Mattingly was good, but not that good), pretty historically accurate. For a perfect pre-fireworks double feature, pair this with 1983’s The Right Stuff (not a July 4th release, but we’ll make an exception), then cry because you are probably never going to get to walk on the moon. —Rachel Edidin Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie (1995) July 4 Weekend Gross: $13,104,788 Why It Made for an Epic Fourth of July: All hail Ivan Ooze, essentially a purple Hellraiser for the juicebox crowd, if Hellraiser was made out of Gak™ .

If you were in the target demographic when this movie came out in 1995, chances are there was a lot of commotion around you, from your parents or your friends’ parents or teachers or the media or whomever, about whether the “violence” of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie was really appropriate for young children. This obviously made this movie the line in the playground-cred sand: The cool parents hired Power Ranger actors for their kids’ birthday parties; the uncool parents would forbid you from even playing Rangers Vs. Putties with their kids in the front yard. Sure, the acting in this movie about, seemingly, a prehistoric, purely evil alien dude “released” from a giant, buried, purple egg to hypnotize and dominate the human race was atrocious in every possible way, down to the individual line. And lord knows the martial arts, though technically real martial arts (as demonstrated by the current profession of the White Ranger), were hilariously vaudevillian.

But in 1995 there was nothing more awesome than watching seemingly-enormous-but-actually-miniature robots and dudes in weird bird costumes fight to a soundtrack consisting of Devo, Shampoo, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers covering Stevie Wonder. Plus, the Rangers lose their powers and have to go into space to retrieve them. Also: the scene where Ooze electrocutes Alpha and attempts to murder Zordon, a time-warped consciousness, may have been the first time you felt the urge to cry during a movie … I mean, probably. I’m not crying, you’re crying. Shut up. —Devon Maloney Independence Day (1996) July 4 Weekend Gross: $50,228,264 Why It Made for an Epic Fourth of July: Well, for starters it’s called Independence Day and it’s about the world coming together to battle an alien invasion on July 4th. So it pretty much couldn’t hit this nail more on the head with a laser sight. The fact that Will Smith flies an alien spacecraft and Jeff Goldblum somehow writes an extraterrestrial-software-compatible virus as part of this counter-offensive is just a bonus.

(Double Bonus: Brent Spiner plays a scientist who works at Area 51.) Independence Day came out when I was in high school. (Shut it.) I wasn’t supposed to see it when it came out, but when rain shut down the roller coasters at Cedar Point (the Lake Erie amusement park in Ohio known as “America’s Roller Coast”), I poured me and my soaked Nine Inch Nails T-shirt (shut it) into a car with some friends and headed to the theater. Everyone was seeing this movie, especially since rain meant there was nothing else to do in Sandusky, Ohio than go to the movies. It blew my mind. It blew everyone’s mind (or at least that’s my memory of it). And when President Thomas J. Whitmore (Bill Pullman) gave his rousing “today is our Independence Day” speech, I’ve never felt more patriotic. In fact, this entire day may have been the most American day I’ve ever had.

—Angela Watercutter Wild America (1997) July 4 Weekend Gross: $1,810,586 Why It Made for an Epic Fourth of July: There is really no reason for this movie—about three underage brothers who set out into the wilderness with a Super 8 camera to capture the country’s most dangerous wildlife for no reason other than kids lie to their parents and are sensationally stupid—should have been included on a list of best-performing, and therefore supposedly most beloved, Independence Day movies. I mean, firstly, it made less than $2 million over that long weekend, which even for 1997 is pretty terrible. (The Karate Kid Part III made $10.3 million over the same weekend in 1989, for crying out loud. Part III.) More broadly, though, the movie isn’t exactly one about which I have spoken obsessively with my best milliennial buds, who are basically the only generation to give two damns about Jonathan Taylor Thomas.

As an elementary schooler, I actually never truly understood the JTT-as-heartthrob thing, though it wasn’t for lack of trying; for some reason I adored that terrible, terrible Tom Sawyer adaptation Tom and Huck two years prior, but that was mainly for Brad Renfro (R.I.P.). Similarly, I was mostly invested in Wild America for Devon Sawa, both adorable and the first actor I’d ever encountered with my own name (a mix of emotions in its own lane of narcissism). But nevertheless, the film otherwise embodied a holiday vacation fantasy that most kids had no idea they even had until seeing it: Chasing down wild, possibly endangered animals; almost drowning in a river; having your siblings as babysitters (which also means you’re likely to die); and totally fleecing every adult in your life (except for a weird/ pretty racist character known simply as Bigfoot Mountain Man?). Watch closely, though, and it may offer up some of the best advice you’ll ever get—especially if you find yourself trapped in a cave full of hungry, hibernating bears, because you are a child and therefore an idiot.

—Devon Maloney Armageddon (1998) July 4 Weekend Gross: $36,089,972 Why It Made for an Epic Fourth of July: Even if you don’t remember where you were physically when you first saw Michael Bay’s masterpiece, Armageddon, you remember where you were emotionally: wrecked. This movie had everything you could crave in a celebration of American independence in the late ’90s: alpha male Bruce Willis, hyper-chiseled Ben Affleck, flags!, nubile Liv Tyler, nuclear bombs, space shuttles, an iconic skyline being ripped apart by asteroids like it was made of crepe paper, an ultimate power ballad brought to you by Aerosmith, more flags!, a humanity uniting presidential speech and an ovary-squeezing slow-motion walk by a bunch of roughneck impromptu astronauts on their way to save Earth.

Deep Impact, which was released two months earlier, was clearly the superior apocalypse-by-meteor movie of 1998 (of ever?), but no one knows how to sex up the end of the world better than Bay, and so Impact will forever live in the shadow of its intellectually inferior, but way hotter bad boy twin. I mean, come on? Who would you rather have as your hero? World-class deep driller and No. 1 DILF Harry Stamper, dripping with pure Willis appeal, or amateur astronaut next door Leo Biederman as played by Elijah Wood? That’s what we thought. Our hearts raced; our tear ducts nearly broke, and our knuckles went white as Bay plucked at our every willing emotional string, like the brilliant, evil bastard he is. Even when we could barely see through our tears during the final act, we wanted to spend our lives in that sweet surrender, to stay lost in that moment—forever.

—Jordan Crucchiola South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999) July 4 Weekend Gross: $11,335,889 Why It Made for an Epic Fourth of July: Sure, after 17 years of South Park, the antics of Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s foul-mouthed kids may seem commonplace, but back in 1999—after only two years on the air—they were still controversial and new, pushing hard on the bleeding edge of humor and good taste. The profanity had always been bleeped on TV, however, so when the F-bombs finally burst from the mouths of Cartman and Stan in all their R-rated glory (in a story about censorship, naturally) it felt like a transgressive revelation. Thanks in part its brutal, take-no-prisoners satire and a glorious soundtrack that included songs like “Kyle’s Mom’s a Bitch” and the Academy Award-nominated “Blame Canada,” I laughed so hard that I fell out of my seat onto the grimy, sticky floor of the theater, couldn’t get back up, and didn’t care.

After all, is there anything more ‘South Park’ than realizing just how funny it can be to get a just a little bit disgusting? —Laura Hudson Superman Returns (2006) July 4 Weekend Gross: $52,535,096 Why It Made for an Epic Fourth of July: What could be more American than a Superman movie? It’s right there in his job description, after all—he fights for truth, justice and the American Way. So the prospect of seeing Clark Kent’s first big-screen outing in more than a decade on July 4 weekend seemed ideal, until I saw the movie itself. Perhaps Bryan Singer was making some kind of larger metaphorical point about America’s world standing by portraying Superman as a deadbeat dad who creepily stalks his ex after abandoning her years earlier, while enemies plot right under his nose, but even so. This wasn’t what anyone in the theaters signed up for, as you could tell from the crowds trying to convince themselves that what they saw wasn’t a massive disappointment as they left the cinema. Sorry, all: It really was that bad. There weren’t even any fireworks.

—Graeme McMillan Transformers (2007) July 4 Weekend Gross: $70,502,384 Why It Made for an Epic Fourth of July: OK, so I didn’t like Transformers: Age of Extinction, but the O.G. Transformers still holds appeal. Perhaps it was that full-throttle Michael Bay Burnout hadn’t hit yet, or maybe it was seeing those Transformers transform for the first time, but whatever it was, the first installment of Transformers was a huge thrill to see in theaters. (Re-watch value? Eh, maybe?) Some may argue, rightly, that 1986’s animated Transformers: The Movie is still a better movie for fans of the Autobots and Decepticons, but as far as live-action reboots go, this one got the job done. It also set the precedent for Bay’s Transformers movies making buckets of cash, a trend that continued right into this summer, with Age of Extinction bringing in a cool $100 million.

—Angela Watercutter The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010) July 4 Weekend Gross: $64,832,191 Why It Made for an Epic Fourth of July: Somehow, for some reason, Summit Entertainment decided to make the third Twilight installment a summer tent-pole movie when it had previously been a November staple. Maybe because it was the “action-packed” installment of the series? I guess when you look ahead at the calendar and see The Last Airbender as your only competition on a holiday weekend you seize that slot and don’t let go. All told, Eclipse wasn’t the worst this Saga had to offer. Bryce Dallas Howard sucked the marrow from her turn as villainess, and the baby vampire army was a little cool. But one thing we can never forgive or forget is that wig! For a franchise that had already grossed half a billion dollars from its first two movies, you’d think the hair and makeup department could have foraged a better wig for Kristen Stewart than the sad, lifeless pelt they glued to her head for Eclipse.

Stewart was simultaneously playing Joan Jett in The Runaways while pulling Bella Swan duty, but even her glam punk mullet would have made more sense than this . “It’s just her hair,” you’re thinking, “this is a non-issue.” But the source of K. Stew’s raw awkward power is her hair: her voluminous, always-a-little-greasy-in-the-right-way hair. It’s like the Twilight higher-ups wanted us to know they were about to quit trying completely, so by the time we saw the CGI catastrophe of baby Renesmee in Breaking Dawn — Part 2 we would be inoculated against the producers’ only thinly veiled contempt for fans. Eclipse was a blockbuster to be sure, but should have stayed in its dreary winter home and saved the summer fun slot for something less snowy and sad. —Jordan Crucchiola Savages (2012) July 4 Weekend Gross: $16,016,910 Why It Made for an Epic Fourth of July: We wanted Savages to work. We wanted it so badly!

2012 was supposed to be the year our man Taylor Kitsch became a top line Hollywood star—a bankable, biggest-name-on-the-poster kind of guy. John Carter got him off to a rough start, though—even if that movie was totally underappreciated—and Battleship didn’t do much to smooth out the ride after that. (Yeah, suddenly America got discerning with is monster-budget action movies. Whatever.) But Savages was going to be different. It was the credibility picture! Kitsch hitched his wagon to Oliver Stone (probably a better choice 20 years ago than it is now) and was going to kick ass, look hunky, and deliver poignant character drama all at the same time. But alas, there was no saving Savages. Even if Kitsch had changed his character’s name from Chon to Tim Riggins halfway through the movie and brought the full cast of Friday Night Lights with him to take down a vicious Mexican drug cartel, this movie would have still been excruciating. It was the Fourth of July equivalent of a fireworks boat that up and explodes before getting a single shot off.

We got to see all the pretty colors, but it was just a hot mess of good intentions that left us feeling dissatisfied and confused. —Jordan Crucchiola The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) July 4 Weekend Gross: $62,004,688 Why It Made for an Epic Fourth of July: There were many reasons to anticipate this franchise reboot, despite the fact that the first Spider-Man trilogy had only wrapped five years prior, but it really only needed two of them to promise a success: Gwen Stacy, and Not Tobey Maguire. That Andrew Garfield was cast in the title role certainly did not hurt, either: Actually, the decision was yet another addition to the case being made among some enthusiasts that Marvel figured out that superhero-movie success could be achieved by catering specifically to a female audience. Truly, the screams and whoops that erupted in the theater where my best girlfriend and I saw this movie opening weekend seemed far more attuned to the various contours of a certain supersuit than it did about the appearance of the villain, as it might have in superhero movies past (though this villain was, to be fair, Lizard, which might have accounted for the lack on that end).

Of course, the movie ruled in other ways, too; for the first time, a teenaged superhero actually kind of acted like a teenager, and instead of a sort of wishy-washy Mary Jane (a very sad Kirsten Dunst) we got an actually-brilliant, decently written character in Gwen (the ever-endearing Emma Stone). That Garfield and Stone began dating in real life only added to the chemistry that made the film so much better than its 2002 counterpart . Plus, Sally Field and Jed Bartlett as Aunt May and Uncle Ben? Could there even be any better pairing? For a truly American weekend, the reds and blues that comprise this particularly sad-boy origin story certainly fit the bill.

—Devon Maloney RIP, big 4th of July movie: “Independence Day” then and now and monoculture’s slow demise - Salon.com Wednesday, Jun 29, 2016 10:59 PM UTC RIP, big 4th of July movie: “Independence Day” then and now and monoculture’s slow demise In the Will Smith movie heyday of the first "ID4," July 4 was huge—and a mass culture event on a major holiday Topics: 4th of July , box office , Independence Day , independence day resurgence , Movies , tarzan , Entertainment News "Independence Day," 1996(Credit: 20th Century Fox) If George of the Jungle had to worry about running into a tree, there’s an even more treacherous obstacle in Tarzan’s path: Watch out for that box office. “The Legend of Tarzan” is set for a collision course this weekend when the David Yates-directed apeman reboot swings into 3,450 locations.

Currently, BoxOffice.com is projecting that the film, which stars Alexander Skarsgård (“True Blood”) as Tarzan and Margot Robbie (“Suicide Squad”) as Jane, will open to just $23 million—en route to finishing with $50 million in the bank by the end of its run. For a movie with an $180 million tab, those numbers are abysmal, yet another of 2016’s pricey misfires. Its fortunes will not be aided by reviews, which have ranged from bad to savage. The Wrap’s Alonso Duralde compared it to notorious bombs like “The Lone Ranger” and “John Carter.” David Ehrlich of IndieWire was even less kind : “There’s a whiff of desperation about pulling a literary figure like Tarzan down from the tree line and forcing him to live at our level—it’s why you’ve been laughing at the marketing of this film for months.

And now the finished product is finally here, and it earns the worst of your preconceptions, reintroducing Edgar Rice Burroughs’ immortal character as just another overpriced commodity.” If you’re asking yourself why we needed another Tarzan movie in 2016 (200 films with his name in the title have already graced screens large and small), there’s another question at hand: Whatever happened to the Fourth of July movie? In the 1990s and early 2000s, our nation’s birthday became a lynchpin of the studio release calendar, arguably the centerpiece of summer movie season. The face of the moviegoing holiday was Will Smith, the former “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” star who made his name on the silver screen as a staple of mid-summer tentpoles. After making his name as a major draw in Michael Bay’s “Bad Boys,” Smith launched the movie that would announce his status as “Mr.

July”: the aptly-named “Independence Day.” Co-starring Bill Pullman (“Spaceballs”) and Jeff Goldblum (“Jurassic Park”), the Roland Emmerich-helmed disaster film all but printed its own money in 1996. At the time, Its $817 million worldwide haul was the biggest ever for a studio film (the unstoppable behemoth that was “Titanic” would be released the following year). While “Independence Day” is undoubtedly cheesy, there’s a reason that the film has proven so iconic in the two decades since its release. Its cheerfully naïve optimism about the human condition is difficult to resist—from a presidential address delivered in accidental couplets (“We will not go quietly into the night!/We will not vanish without a fight!”) to a drunken Randy Quaid flying into the mothership to save humanity from destruction. “Independence Day” is brainless jingoism, but it’s damn fun, and the sight of DJ Jazzy Jeff’s bandmate beating up an alien (“Welcome to Earth!”) never gets old. Following “Independence Day,” Smith put out a miracle string of films that did huge numbers on the July 4th holiday weekend.

The next year boasted the release of “Men in Black” ($589 million worldwide), and in the next decade, Smith would have comparable success with “Men in Black II” ($441 million) and Hancock ($624 million). “Wild Wild West” ($222 million) would have been another feather in his cap if not for its hefty price tag and very poor critical reception; it won the Razzie for Worst Picture in 1999. Smith’s success with the July 4th release date paved the way for a number of other blockbusters to launch on the day of barbecues, hot dogs, and family picnics. Bay released all four “Transformers” movies on Independence Day, while “Spider-Man 2,” “The Perfect Storm,” “Armageddon,” “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse,” “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,” and “War of the Worlds” all bowed over the holiday weekend. The quality of these entries varies widely, but they had one thing in common: They put butts in seats. Hollywood has struggled to match that success since.

The last unqualified Fourth of July smash was “Despicable Me 2” back in 2013, while the holiday has been beset by a series of disappointments in recent years. “Earth to Echo,” Disney’s found-footage “E.T.” ripoff, finished with just $45 million in 2014, while its competition, “Tammy,” marked Melissa McCarthy’s first-ever critical and commercial clunker. Last year, a pair of sequels both underperformed: “Terminator: Genisys” and “Magic Mike XXL.” “Tarzan,” which cost $180 million, looks to continue that trend. Meanwhile, none of this weekend’s Fourth of July entries —not even Steven Spielberg’s family-friendly Roald Dahl adaptation, “The BFG”—is slated to end its run with more than $100 million domestically. Even “Independence Day 2” couldn’t break the curse: The Liam Hemsworth-fronted sequel nobody wanted is likewise flailing in theaters. To a certain extent, this is a matter of happenstance.

Studios can’t control which movies make money and which don’t (or Taylor Kitsch would be a much bigger star than he is), and many of the movies that flopped were—at one time—expected to do well, or at least better than they did. Disney sunk $225 million into “The Lone Ranger,” and releasing it on Independence Day was a sign that the Mouse House hoped to milk it for every dollar the notorious bomb was worth. When it comes to making big-budget tentpoles, you market the hell out it and hope for the best. But the fact that the July 4th holiday has been associated with so many duds in recent years may have convinced studios to push their surefire hits to other dates. In 2016, the biggest movies of the year so far all opened well before schools let out: “Captain America: Civil War” opened in early May, while “The Jungle Book” debuted in April. “Zootopia” was a March release. This has to do with the strange voodoo of deciding when to release a movie—which is based less on exact science than outright superstition.

For instance, when “The Help” made bank at the beginning of August, a number of other movies with black casts were all put out the very same weekend in the following years: “Get on Up,” “The Butler,” “Sparkle,” and “Straight Outta Compton.” This year’s contribution to the trend is “Morris From America.” The A24 release is about a 13-year-old boy who moves to Germany with his father, played by Craig Robinson of “The Office.” Is there a logic to that strategy? Not really. Black audiences want to see good movies whenever they open, not solely on one weekend a year. But that’s how it works in Hollywood: When something does well, you replicate its success until it’s no longer profitable. That leads to a surfeit of industry dogma that’s based on nothing more than that’s the way things are done. For example, until recently, February was reserved for rom-coms and studio trainwrecks (see: “Jupiter Ascending”). The idea was that people don’t see movies in the winter a) because of the weather and b) they’re cutting back on expenses after the Christmas season.

Then “Deadpool” and “The LEGO Movie” debunked that myth. But if the industry is letting seasonal tommyrot guide its decision making, that’s a shame. During the Will Smith era, the Fourth of July was the third-biggest moviegoing day of the year, one of the few times that Americans were all expected to go to the movies together. When I saw “Independence Day” in the theaters 20 years ago, the movie was standing room only. People squatted in the aisles and sat on each other’s laps, breaking nearly every fire code imaginable to see humans fight off space evil. That mass participation is also part of the film’s appeal. Lindsay Robertson, the former digital editorial director for the Tribeca Film Festival, argued in a critical round-up of 4th of July films that “Independence Day” is “less like a movie and more like a sports event.” “I saw Independence Day five times in the theater,” Robertson said. “The reason I kept going back was the thrill of being part of an audience all experiencing the same emotions at the same time—and cheering, yelling, clapping, jumping up, whooping at the end together.

… It’s easy to forget that one reason we go to the movies is to see them with other people.” The universal experience of film (part of what’s often referred to as “monoculture”) is increasingly rare in a fragmented entertainment landscape where we have more options than ever. If yet another movie about a jungle boy being raised by apes doesn’t sound appetizing, audiences can stay home and watch Netflix, HBOGo, or Hulu. Movie theater attendance has been steadily declining since 2002, and if current ticket sales hold, 2016 will be one of the worst years since 1995, the year before “Independence Day” was released. Don’t let the nostalgia fool you: “Independence Day” is no masterpiece. But facing down yet another year without an heir to its summer movie throne, it’s looking pretty good. Best July 4th Movies | List of Films Released on Independence Day The Best Movies Released July 4th Weekend 3.5k votes 260 voters 7.5k views 58 items tags f t p @ List Criteria: Movies released over the July 4th holiday. What are the best movies released over the July 4th weekend?

Movies that came out over the Independence Day weekend include a lot of major blockbusters. Films that get a July fourth release are big: Think 'Transformers,' Spider-Man 2' and pretty much any film starring Will Smith. Movie studios know that by early-July, movie goers are craving some epic movie entertainment, and in recent years, they've definitely delivered. Vote for the July 4th movie releases you loved the most, vote down any you thought were duds and feel free to re-rank these films in any order you want. Over the past couple of decades, more and more major films have gotten July 4th weekend release dates. Why? Because, quite frankly, long holiday weekends are perfect for movie goers. Need proof? Check out this list of some of the best movies released on Christmas Day . People looking for an escape from the Independence Day festivities (and probably the heat) are more than happy to sit back and relax in a cool, dark theater and be totally swept away for a few hours by a great film. 2012's summer blockbusters included 'The Amazing Spider-Man,' which was released on July 3, 2012.

How many movies about July 4th have actually come out over the July 4th weekend? Actually, just one, but it's a biggie: the Will Smith sci-fi/action movie 'Independence Day' was released on July 3, 1996, and wound up grossing more than $50 million in its opening weekend. Several other Will Smith movies are on this list, including 'Men in Black' and 'Men in Black II,' 'Hancock' and 'Wild Wild West.' For a time, the man seriously ruled the Fourth of July when it came to movie releases. Highly anticipated 2013 summer movie releases due out in early July included 'Despicable Me 2' and Disney's 'The Lone Ranger,' so it seems, at least for now, this trend towards huge Independence Day movie releases will continue. List Photo: user uploaded image 3 ReRanks 2 See list ranked by Z G Options B Comments & Embed 2rerank list 1 Independence Day (1996) Independence Day (1996) Reviews Independence Day Synopsis Strange phenomena surface around the globe. The skies ignite. Terror races through the world's major cities.

As these extraordinary events unfold, it becomes increasingly clear that a force of incredible magnitude has arrived; its mission: total annihilation over the Fourth of July weekend. The last hope to stop the destruction is an unlikely group of people united by fate and unimaginable circumstances. Latest 'Independence Day' News Review: Independence Day - Resurgence (explosions is love; explosions is life) Tweet No one watches 1996’s Independence Day and comes away saying “that was a brilliant piece of cinematic art…the characters, the acting, the plot, the cinematography…it was all so beautiful.” Approximately no one has said those words. But who cares, because the movie is loud, dumb, farcical and highly highly enjoyable. It’s buoyed by great starring performances by Will Smith (his first big blockbuster), Jeff Goldblum and Bill Pullman. There’s also a host of “oh it’s that guy” actors who pop in and out, adding to the fun. It’s great, it’s fun, it’s freaking Independence Day; it’s a Fourth of July staple. In fact it was previously labeled the number one “Fourth of July Viewing Experience” movie of last year. That’s a high honor!

If you’re too lazy to click the link, here’s what is said about it: Obviously, right? What I love about this movie is how the cast is essentially a bunch of then-unproven headliners and even more type-casted co-stars. For most of the movie they are all seperated on their own little plot lines, but they all are so well written, the story is so stupidly fun, and each plot line is so independently interesting, that when the climax of the film arrives and they all come together, you really feel like this is a superhero team up ready to save the world from the alien invasion. The movie is basically Marvel’s Phase One in miniature. It also happens to have some horribly dated CGI effects that I remember being wowed by in the theaters as a kid. It’s great to laugh at now, in a “I can’t believe people used to think that was cool” sort of way. Director Roland Emmerich is back to helm the sequel.

It’s been twenty years and Hollywood has been in love lately with resurrecting old movies to turn into franchises, and while most of these sequel/reboot films have been cheap knock-offs that only make you pine for the originals (I can’t wait to hate-watch Ghostbusters in a couple weeks), along comes this movie, which everyone insta-hated the moment it was announced. When Will Smith passed on the project fans were even more eager to dump on it. It’s not like Will Smith has had a critical and commercial blockbuster hit in a while (you have to go back to 2008’s Hancock to find his last mega-hit at the box office). If he didn’t want to do this, it must have been a terrible script/idea, right? Actually, no. Not at all. Emmerich also co-wrote the movie, as he did the original. It’s obvious too, because the movie’s structure follows the same basic template as the first film. Like with the 1996 movie, the opening act introduces us to the characters as they are all separated and off in their own little lives.

Act two features the aliens attack and the bleakness of the outlook for humanity and then Act Three brings everyone together to carry out the crazy idea/last desperate hope that miraculously pays off. It’s the same movie but since this is a sequel everything is bigger and louder and dumber. It’s not quite as fun as the first, but that’s only because Liam Hemsworth’s star just isn’t as bright as Will Smith’s. That’s actually a problem across the board: Most everyone of the old stars from 1996 are back, but they are shifted to the background to let the kids take the lead. The problem is, the kids just don’t quite have the stage presence that the original stars had in 1996. The movie succeeds in recreating the original’s structure (it felt like an Independence Day movie), while upping the stakes across the board (the aliens switched it up from trying to blow up buildings to trying to blow up the whole planet) but it misses in that one critical area: The stars at the center just aren’t magnetic enough to keep your attention. That’s it though. That’s the only flaw worth pointing out. Is it loud and dumb? It is, just as much as the original.

Are there plot points that make you say “wait, why…?” Yes, just like in the original. Are there moments where the heroes swoop in to save the day and the music swells and someone says a cheesy one-liner and you groan but you catch yourself smiling anyway? Oh yes, just like the original. It’s a notch below the original, which did everything this movie tries to do a little bit better, but it could have been so much worse. The fact that it’s consistently good and occasionally a barrel of fun automatically makes it better than 90% of the sequels/prequels/reboots that Hollywood has been churning out lately. QUICK HITS The aliens invaded last time on July 2nd, attacked on July 3rd and were defeated on (merica) July 4th. That’s fine. Then they came back…on the same day? And were defeated, again on July 4th. That’s a pretty big coincidence.

When I say the “kids” take the lead, that’s often a very literal statement: It’s almost hilarious how many times in the opening act you’ll say “oh so that’s _____’s kid?” Everyone’s related to someone you know in this movie, and in one instance a new character is introduced only to have it be revealed that he’s the uncle of another new character. All of Earth’s safety rests in the hands of like four pairs of kids who all know each other. Small world. There’s a lot of exposition to sit through in the opening forty-five minutes, but nothing is lingered on too long to make you restless or bored. A LOT of characters are introduced and almost every one is given a role to play in the finale, very similar to how the original movie introduced a bunch of disparate characters and then brought them together for the big final battle. Really the only subplot that could have been cut was the one focusing on Judd Hirsch. But whose gonna cut Judd Hirsch out of a movie? The CGI-effects in this movie are so seamlessly integrated that I said “wow” multiple times. I’m sure I’ll look back on it in twenty years and laugh at it though.

A sequel was teased (because of course it was; the only thing Hollywood loves more than sequels are sequels that plant the seeds for more sequels) and—spoiler—promises to take the setting into outer space. Which they basically have to do, since there’s nothing left to blow up on earth. They blew up the US Capital in movie one, and then crashed into the whole Atlantic in this one, intending to destroy the entire planet. The stakes can’t get any higher unless you threaten to blow up the galaxy. At first I was annoyed how calm and in control everyone was at the announcement that the aliens had returned. You’d think there would have been more panic and a sense of urgency, but everyone was just kind of ho-hum about it. I guess since this isn’t their first alien invasion rodeo and the fact that they had twenty years to prepare, drill and practice, it makes sense that everyone would be able to take deep breaths and get to work. At one point—spoiler—the whole presidential line of succession is wiped out in one attack, leaving some General Whatshisname—the blind guy from Contact—to assume the office.

Who thought it would be a good idea to put everyone in the same room…and in the same place that aliens attacked and wiped out in the first movie? Dumb America, dumb. The movie builds to the moment when the heroic pilot flies into the ship and detonates a bomb, intending to save the day, exactly like the first movie. When the bomb went off and the ship went down I wrote down in my notes “the big ending has the bang but not the emotion and feeling of resolution that the first one had.” Turns out that wasn’t the big ending. The movie then suddenly became the climax to a kaiju film and I enjoyed every stupid second of it. 8/10 – I enjoyed every stupid second of it, but it wasn’t perfect and it won’t be as perpetually rewatchable as the original. Turn off your brain. Also the savior of humanity is Marvin, from Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. I can’t be the only one to see that. Tags

Question: Which 1996 film has its climax on 4th of July?
Answer: Independence Day